Brush fire burns about 15 acres of woods in West Springfield

WEST SPRINGFIELD – A brush fire burned about 15 acres of woods on a mountain near Westfield and threatened the backyards of homes on Sikes Avenue Sunday.

Hunters alerted firefighters to the blaze at about 12:44 p.m. Eight firefighters battled the flames for about four hours before extinguishing the fire, said Deputy Chief Steven A. Manchino.

“It looked like it had been going on for a while before we got there. It burned the whole side of the mountain,” he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, he said.

The dry weather made it more difficult. There was about three inches of pine needles and leaves on the ground so firefighters had to use heavy rakes and shovels to ensure the fire was not traveling under the debris, he said.

“This summer we haven’t had much rain in the past six to eight weeks,” Manchino said.

It was also windy so the wind was pushing the flames up the hill and spreading the embers, Manchino said.

Manchino asked a second group of firefighters to make sure the blaze was not spreading to yards of homes on Sikes Avenue, which are on the base of the mountain. None of the homes were in danger from the fire, he said.

It was difficult to get access because the fire was so deep in the woods. To get closer to the blaze, firefighters contacted the Westfield Department who unlocked a gate so they could drive fire trucks down a private access road that runs through a quarry owned by Lane Construction Corp.

“Once you got there, large amounts of water had to be brought in,” Manchino said.

One engine remained at the scene while a second ferried water back and forth, he said.

Firefighters continue to watch the woods to make sure the fire does not ignite again, were hoping rain predicted for Sunday will prevent that, Manchino said.